The Kalinin K-7 was a giant flying fortress that might have redefined aerial combat in the 1930s. The hugely expensive and trouble-prone prototype was scrapped by Stalin and its designer was later executed. Here are some renderings of the planes that might have been, with spacious lounges, battleship-sized cannons, and the ability to defend us from UFOs.
posted by Joe in Australia on Nov 8, 2009 - 68 comments

Abandoned PBY-5A Catalina Flying Boat in Saudi Arabia. More images. (via)
posted by Artw on Sep 7, 2009 - 24 comments

A Presidential Boeing 747 along with two fighter planes continuously circled jarringly close to the tops of buildings in Lower Manhattan and Jersey City this morning. From the ground it looked as though a plane had been hijacked again, and the Air Force was attempting to force it down. Panic ensued. Another terrorist attack? No, just a top secret photo op. [more inside]
posted by stagewhisper on Apr 27, 2009 - 207 comments

Mike Wilson, on a continental 737 flight, twittered his plane crash almost as it happened. See his feed starting here.
posted by sdn on Dec 30, 2008 - 61 comments

A woman with no arms has conquered flying It's not all sensible, though. As she says at the end, she literally has her life in her "own feet." Flying a plane never looked so comfortable.
posted by jwakawaka on Dec 5, 2008 - 22 comments

It's a small cubicle you have toshare, but the view is pretty good.
posted by Brandon Blatcher on Nov 7, 2008 - 42 comments

This is how we roll in India
This is how we slide in Saudi
This is how we fly in Sweden
Some people are a little bit casual about road safety.
posted by roofus on Jul 14, 2008 - 69 comments

Airphoto North America ― Jim Wark is an aerial photographer who specializes in capturing unusual landscape and cultural images of North and Central America. The plane used is a small high-wing, bush type (an Aviat Husky) with a large side opening for unobstructed shooting, and with the capability of operating out of small rough areas. A full complement of camping gear and provisions are always on board so that remote sites can be used as operating bases.
posted by netbros on May 12, 2008 - 13 comments

Quick, identify this plane. SR-71 Blackbird, right? Wrong. [more inside]
posted by cog_nate on Mar 21, 2008 - 92 comments

Russian cold war bombers - The Tu 95 Bear and Tu 160 Blackjack, based in central Russia, which resumed long range patrols in August.
posted by Artw on Dec 23, 2007 - 52 comments

Wednesday morning plane pr0n.
posted by saladin on Dec 19, 2007 - 46 comments

On Nov 22, 1968, exactly 39 years ago, on a reasonably clear, uneventful day, a new JAL DC-8 descended toward the SFO airport. The landing was so well executed that no one was hurt when the pilot landed the plane into the San Francisco Bay, several miles from the airport. What explanation did 15 year veteran pilot Captain Kohei Asoh give for his botched landing? It was so unusual (especially in this day and age), so refreshingly honest, that it came to be known as the Asoh Defense. Amazingly, the plane was recovered, refurbished, and was in service for another 35 years.
posted by eye of newt on Nov 22, 2007 - 50 comments

Here's a seemingly simple physics problem: an airplane taxis in one direction on a moving conveyor belt going the opposite direction. Can the plane take off? The debate rages on and on and on....
posted by zardoz on Sep 29, 2007 - 248 comments

The Zephyr, a solar powered plane, has smashed the record for the longest duration un-manned flight, staying aloft with engines running for 54 hours. This was just a test run at the US military White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, according to the UK developers, "You ain't seen nothing yet". Meanwhile in Switzerland, development continues on the Solar Impulse, which has a goal of flying around the world, manned(!), by 2010.
posted by stbalbach on Sep 11, 2007 - 11 comments

I now know what to do in case I ever got stuck on an airplane that's not going anywhere- organize and stage a revolt, like the passengers of Continental flight 1669.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero on Aug 16, 2007 - 82 comments

Many Mefi members have wondered about how they should get from their private island to friends' private islands. Finally, SeaFalcon provides an answer. They have a built a wonderful vehicle that exploits ground effects to provide a rapid, efficient way to island hop. via
posted by sien on Jun 14, 2007 - 39 comments

Dutch Submarines has mystery pictures of submarines and/or their doings with some great answers. For example, there is the story of the use of submarines as seaplane carriers yes, really.
posted by tellurian on Apr 15, 2007 - 27 comments

Bare naked travel? (Previously on MeFi: here, except now they're actually doing it, and here). The TSA wants to see you naked. Just don't paint "Kip Hawley Is An Idiot" on your torso in Pepto-Bismol before you go to the airport.
posted by bitter-girl.com on Dec 3, 2006 - 51 comments

Plane/Helicopter Crashes into NYC high rise. ???
posted by craniac on Oct 11, 2006 - 226 comments

This was bound to happen.
posted by allkindsoftime on Aug 22, 2006 - 38 comments

New Line drops the SOAP today. After months of gags, comments, and speculation, the most-talked-about movie of the year, and one of the largest epidemics of viral marketing in film history, opens in theatres. So is the movie actually good? AICN says so. Rotten Tomatoes says so. And Samuel L. Jackson... let's let him speak for himself. And if you don't like it, go make your own.
posted by XQUZYPHYR on Aug 18, 2006 - 98 comments

Google Maps flight simulator. Well, not a simulator so much. But surprisingly good fun. Flash.
posted by Jimbob on Aug 5, 2006 - 25 comments

Snakes on a Base! In the wake of today's announcement that Raul Castro will be 'temporarily' taking power in Cuba while Big Brother (did I say that?) has an operation for some GI bleeding, The Smoking Gun has published some declassified Spec Ops planning cover sheets from the 60s and 70, listing plans to destabilize Cuba. Operation Bingo, on page 3, is especially amusing.
posted by baylink on Aug 1, 2006 - 15 comments

The "Snakes on a Plane" Problem. "The tragedy of the best titled movie in the history of film."
posted by kirkaracha on Jul 28, 2006 - 126 comments

Do a Barrel Roll! [emvedded WMV, or view it on YouTube here] Test pilot Tex Johnston shows off the capabilities of Boeing's new 367-80 "Dash 80" prototype -- which would later become the Boeing 707 -- at a 1955 air show. The barrel roll (or aileron roll to others), done twice, was a no-hazard 1G maneuver for the Dash 80, but thoroughly impressed the crowd. Following the roll, it's said that William Allen turned to an elderly attender to ask for heart attack pills. You can still view the Dash-80 today at its final resting place, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center.
posted by brownpau on Jun 21, 2006 - 36 comments

Bunny versus Airbus A380. The bunny was on the runway as the A380 came in for a landing, but managed to avoid getting pancaked by bolting as the behemoth decelerated. We salute you, Runway Bunny.
posted by brownpau on Jun 19, 2006 - 146 comments

snake on a plane? (newsfilter-ish)
posted by analogue on Jun 2, 2006 - 25 comments

It's going to be as fake as the moon landings! The BBC reports that the US defense department is to release a video of the plane crashing into the Pentagon on 11 September. We've touched on this before, but will this close the conspiracy case for Flight 77?
posted by Meccabilly on May 16, 2006 - 242 comments

Samuel L. Jackson and other Snakes on a Plane cast called in for reshoots. And yes, it has been confirmed that Samuel L. Jackson will say (shout it with me)... [more inside]
posted by UKnowForKids on Mar 23, 2006 - 144 comments

Built at Lockheed's secret Skunk Works facility for use by the Central Intelligence Agency, and in service since 1950s, the U2 spy plane has seen service all over the world (or, at the very least, 70,000 feet above it). It has shown us what both our friends and enemies were doing, helping us avert wars, and in at least one occasion, almost causing one itself. Today, just over 45 years since Francis Gary Powers fell from the sky into the Soviet Union, the United States Air Force has announced from Baghdad that yet another Dragon Lady has fallen from the sky in an undisclosed location in Southwestern Asia.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow on Jun 22, 2005 - 37 comments

suck squeeze bang blow (SFW)
posted by jonah on Jan 20, 2005 - 22 comments

Chuteless Jumps: Russian I.M. Chisov survived a 21,980 plunge out of a plane with no parachute. He landed on the steep side of a snow-covered mountain with only a fractured pelvis and slight concussion.
posted by thisisdrew on Dec 29, 2004 - 41 comments

IF jetplane + wall == dust THEN wow(windowsmedia)
Hunt the Boeing my arse.
posted by Pretty_Generic on Sep 27, 2004 - 41 comments

Veepfilter: The well-kept secret about Kerry's running mate might just have broken... on an aviation message board, of all places.
posted by moonbird on Jul 5, 2004 - 171 comments

'Little Prince' author's plane found at last - "In France, the discovery is akin to solving the mystery of where Amelia Earhart's plane went down."
posted by soyjoy on Apr 7, 2004 - 23 comments

A Visual Dictionary of Famous Plane Curves
posted by wobh on Oct 1, 2003 - 6 comments

"It's been a rough few days for the A-10," the pilot told her father after she landed, but she assured him that the A-10 'Warthog' is a "a durable and reliable plane." It. Sure. Is. But the pilot brought it back from Baghdad in this condition with dead hydraulics, using only manual controls, and landed safely. The A-10 may be slower than birds, but it's loved by the Army.
via The Cellar's Picture of the Day
posted by Slithy_Tove on Apr 13, 2003 - 29 comments

Bored at the office? Put some of that paper to good use: make some paper airplanes. Those two links should keep you busy for a few days (be sure to try out Nick's Plane. Possibly the best paper plane there is. Thank you Nick, who ever you are..), but if you're looking for something a little flash, you could try folding one of these.
posted by slipperywhenwet on Aug 23, 2002 - 18 comments

Agency Was to Crash Plane on 9/11 How weird is this??!?
posted by bas67 on Aug 22, 2002 - 8 comments

Hooters Air Inc. With all of the discussion about airlines going bankrupt and our economy in jeopardy, some people are surely thinking ahead. If it'll be 'Hooters Girls' flight attendants, it's too early," Cattell said. But she didn't dismiss the idea.
posted by aaronchristy on Aug 15, 2002 - 16 comments

A small plane has ran into a skyscraper in Milan.  CNN is reporting that a small plane has struck the 25th floor of the Pirelli building. The skyscraper apparently houses government offices. Details are still coming in.
posted by bshort on Apr 18, 2002 - 64 comments

Cessna pilot sympathised with Bin Laden...
Does Americas enemy lie within?
posted by tomcosgrave on Jan 6, 2002 - 38 comments

The ultimate ride. Don't move for 70 hours...
posted by jacobw on Dec 29, 2001 - 9 comments

Rogue Missile responsible for the downed Russian Tu-154 in the Black sea. Ukrainian officials are calling for the resignation of all responsible military officials. I guess it's good that it wasn't terrorism... but it's a shame none the less.
posted by dancu on Oct 12, 2001 - 8 comments

All men are created equal. (Just some more equal than others.)
posted by rushmc on Oct 12, 2001 - 6 comments

More than 100 dead in Milan plane crash
There's no evidence as I post this that this has anything to do with the WTC / Pentagon attacks, or the retaliatory attacks by the Allied forces...still, a Cessna that comes out of nowhere seems odd to me, fog or no fog...
posted by tomcosgrave on Oct 8, 2001 - 7 comments

I was watching "The Craft" last night, and noticed that they censored the image of Robin Tunney's parents' plane going down (actually a Glamour, but you know that), and later Nieve Campbell's character says "you know the [silence]", they actually cut out the words "plane crash". Has anybody else noticed this kind of censorship? Would anybody have been really shocked to hear Nieve say "plane crash"? Do you think the WB would've been swamped with calls? It's bad enough what they did to homer or what the geniuses at clear channel are doing. Good movie, though.
posted by signal on Sep 28, 2001 - 16 comments

Now is probably a poor time to start making bomb jokes at the airport.
posted by BoatMeme on Sep 20, 2001 - 10 comments

Was a missle already deployed, but missed by seconds to nail the second plane? Scroll to the middle and view the East Angle clip of the second plane hitting the tower. Here's the article from the Drudge Report. Personally looks like they edited the tape.
posted by HoldenCaulfield on Sep 16, 2001 - 18 comments

There is a small, unidentified plane with no markings circling Manhattan

My apologies for the essentially null link - this was just shown on CNN.
posted by Sinner on Sep 12, 2001 - 29 comments